Local News in Brief : Mistrial in Cruelty Case
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A mistrial was declared Thursday in the case of a 31-year-old Torrance resident who is charged with baking his girlfriend’s two cats in a microwave oven.
The case against Larry Heine, a self-employed tow truck operator charged with four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, will be retried on July 12.
Torrance Municipal Court Judge Sandra Thompson made the ruling after defense lawyer Robert Courtney argued that the jury had been prejudiced by the testimony of Heine’s neighbor.
The neighbor, Patsy Mikami, testified that Heine showed her two cats that were foaming at the mouth and convulsing and said that if she called police he would kill Mikami’s brother.
“I guess she granted the mistrial because the jury would think if this is the kind of guy who would threaten someone, he’s the kind of guy who would microwave a cat,” Torrance City Prosecutor J. D. Lord said.
Courtney could not be reached for comment.
The prosecution claims that Heine put the cats in the microwave after a fight with his girlfriend. The cats’ bodies were never found.
If found guilty, Heine could face a sentence of two years in jail and a fine of $4,000.
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